The Meaning of Our Marks
by PsychologicalColors
Summary: An eagle and a crow circle each other mid flight. Below the crow lies concrete streets. Above the eagle vast skies were bright. This is the mark that adorned Daichi's skin, awaiting to find its mirrored match.


An eagle and a crow circle each other mid flight. Below the crow lies concrete streets. Above the eagle, the vast skies were bright. That was the design wrapped around his upper arm.

As a child, Daichi feared what his soulmate would be like. Why did the two birds seem to be fighting? He didn't know. His mother had told him the markings represent aspects of their personalities and the things that represent their lives. Perhaps not now, but later on in the future. Daichi would spend many nights staring at the marking, slightly in awe and with a hint of fear at the prospects of what it meant. As he grew older, his understanding of the mark changed. No longer did the birds look ready for battle, instead, it seemed as if they were assessing one another. It was no longer hostility, instead it was curiosity.

As a child, other kids would look at his soul mark with awe or glee. Some would say it was graceful and cool, others would agree that it was rather intimidating. None the less, they would all excitedly chatter about future meetings with their own soulmates and how they predicted them to be based of of their soul marks. As he grew older, the looks would become slightly pitying. They lived in an era were it had become increasingly facile to find your soulmate after all. Many would take photos of their marks in order to post online with the hopes of finding their other half. Daichi had done it once, but he never had no such luck as some of the others he had met throughout his life. After a while, he realized that there wasn't much point and took the photo down.

So, Daichi had settled for the old fashioned way of showing off his mark whenever possible and waiting to see who would approach him. Or perhaps await for the day he caught sight of the familiar mark on unfamiliar skin. It was in his favor that the mark was around his bicep, this just made the task much easier. Alternatively, he chose to focus on discovering the aspects that were represented in his marking instead. As shocking as it was to discover, the crow represented his favored team, and by extension, the best three years of his life.

Suga had thrown many cheerful jokes at him the first time he had discovered his mark involved their school's mascot.

Daichi had told him to his petals where his mouth is.

The jokes aside, Daichi was happy with the progress he has made in understanding his mark better.

The concrete streets below represented stability. It represented his solid will and determination. This is what he believed anyway. It was hard to break through something that made up the foundation of his being. The rest was merely speculation. He was positive that the eagle represented his soulmate, but the skies themselves stood for possibilities and potential. However, Daichi wasn't sure if it was part of his destiny or his soulmates.

He had an inkling it was both.

* * *

Once he had entered his third year Daichi felt there was nothing left to analyze in his mark. Finally, all he could do was wait. He was never one who held impatience for these things, but it certainly helped that he was constantly busy. Between his college preparatory classes, practice and his troublesome first years, he had very little time to dedicate towards soul searching.

He did however, take comfort in knowing that he was not the only one who had a crow representing some aspect of their soul mark. Though, this only lead to Suga taunting him even more and thus began calling him 'papa crow'.

Regardless, for the first few months Daichi falls into a steady routine. After class, head towards the club room, stop any potential arguments and change. Practice, treat himself, and occasionally, his team to pork buns, before heading home to eat a proper meal. Then he would study, do some light exercise and shower before turning in for the night. It was a comfortable and relatively pleasant routine. In between everything, there were always surprises that would leave him flabbergasted and would leave him distracted . But still, he sometimes finds himself laying in bed late at night, before sleep can overcome him, and finds himself longing for his soulmate.

He then wonders if the other feels the same.

* * *

He can't help but feel his curiosity peek as he reads the article following the Youth World Championship. His achievements were astounding and the notoriety of his skills were amazing. He couldn't bring himself to focus on those aspects. He does hear the rest of the team talking about the young male's skills but Daichi finds himself focused on a small box of gossip.

 _Ushijima Wakatoshi_

 _Soulmate status: unconfirmed_

 _Despite his refusal to show the public his soul mark; on court glimpses have shown two birds in flight. His team gave no comments on the topic._

Daichi knows better than to get his hopes up. Birds seem to have become a more common thing as of late. With different birds having various meanings, there's a high probability that the birds mentioned are completely different from the ones that mark his skin. Even so, for a brief second, he finds himself thinking of the 'super ace' and the feeling of longing lessens.

Daichi notices the rise in volume. He pushes any other thoughts to the back of his head and quickly yells at Tanaka and Nishinoya to finish changing. He lets Hinata know that his shirt is on backwards and shouts at Tanaka to get back inside the club room and put on some pants.

He can hear Suga snickering in the background.

* * *

Daichi can't help but stare at Ushijima when they first confront him in front of the building. At first, he's confronted with a slight intimidation. He's about to compete against one of Japan's top players after all. But soon, after the out burst of his most troublesome duo, he's filled to the brim with determination. He's well aware that this will not be an easy fight, but he knows it will be worth while.

Soon the match begins and it is as he expected. They struggle for the first set and has to leave it up to Nishinoya to find his rhythm and set their pace. Daichi himself struggles with his receives for a while, feels as if his arms are constricted. Without much thought, he rolls up his sleeves, too absorbed in the game to notice anything else; too absorbed to notice Ushijima briefly staring at the mark during their time out.

No one thinks much of it, but while Daichi doesn't notices Ushijima's stare, he becomes aware of the flailing and pointing his teammate instead. He doesn't pay further mind to it thought one he realizes who it is. If there is one thing he's come to acknowledge, it's the fact that Tendou Satori is strange.

Time out is over and he makes back to the court, he shouts quick words of encouragement to his teammates and takes his position.

The game continues and eventually Daichi finds himself face to face with Ushijima at the net; its their serve and Daichi waits for the rally to begin. However, he's finally become aware of the gaze that's upon him. He momentarily locks gazes with Ushijima and throws him a curious glance. The other takes note of it and looks away, though his face holds a look of contemplation. Daichi hears the familiar wail of the whistle and decides it'd be best to leave the thought alone. He'll have time to process is later, when he isn't in the middle of a match.

* * *

Once the game is won they exit the building high on victory and disbelief. Excitement surrounds them like a heavy mist. Daichi finds himself lagging behind; his knees are sore and his body feels heavy but he finds himself reveling in the sensation. He feels prideful of his team and of himself. They have all managed to grow so much since the beginning. From the extra practice to the hellish training camps. it makes him happy to know that all their hard work has paid off.

They're going to Nationals.

He sees Shiratorizawa exit the building shortly after, the team is sullen and though it is of a different brand, they too exit with faces of disbelief. Daichi is surprised to see Ushijima break away from the group, more so when he heads towards his general direction. Daichi remembers his intense gaze from earlier, he figures he man has something to tell him. He waits politely for the other man to reach him and soon they stand face to face, seeming to size each other up for a moment. Ushijima nods to himself, apparently agreeing with a statement he had quietly thought about. By now, Daichi has become vaguely aware of their respective teams curious gazes.

Ushijima offers him a bow and Daichi is stunned by the words that follow.

 _"My name is Ushijima Wakatoshi and it appears that you are my soulmate"_

Daichi can't help but gape, his mind buzzes momentarily. Ushijima takes this as a sign to continue. He elegantly takes off his jacket and raises his left sleeve to show Daichi the mark underneath.

An eagle and a crow circle each other mid flight. Below the crow lies concrete streets. Above the eagle, the vast skies were bright.

Daichi smiles and returns the gesture, carefully taking off his jacket and showing the matching mark adorning his right arm. Ushijima shares with him a small, but ecstatic, smile.

 _"My name is Sawamura Daichi and it's nice to finally meet you"_


End file.
